New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-30
SUPPLEMENT.
PAGES 9 TO IL.
lord IDDESLEIGH.
,p1rr NOTES OF HIS PERSONAL CHARAC'
TER AND POLITICAL CAREER.

'"'' TER AND POLITICAL CAREER.
REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
FROM 1h' LONDON, January To-
T., all 10 long biographies of the late Lord lddes-
.ioh which papers of all kinds publish you will
COX in vain tor good anecdotes of him. His was
not life which leutyitself to gossip What is said
# him is for the most part we'll said. Justice Is
lone to his purify of character. his fine sense OF
honor his unselfshness. his genuine abilities, his
,eryces to his party and to the State If there be
point on which our ENGLISH friends do not seem to
,are to dwell it is Sir Stafford NorthcOte's share
N the Treaty of Washington. That has never
been popular business here and 1t was always
thought that Mr.. Gladstone showed extraordinary
,leverness in putting one of the Conservative lead
IRA ON Commission whose labors were foredoomed
20 q cold acknowledgment in England The cold
less would have become rancorous party hostility
md pertnacious opposition had not SIR Stafford
compromised his party by his adhesion to the
treaty. And it really is odd that one of the few
tories about him should relate to his visit to
Washington and should consist chiefly in friendly
reminiscence of the fact that he was photographed
IN boots which. TO the American eye, were excess
nvely thick.
Lord Iddesleigh was not what Is called a society
man." but there were many houses in London
where lie was to be met more or less frequently.
At some he called with old-fashioned polite regu-
larity once year. Then, instead of limiting him
self to the conventional twenty minutes and dis
cussing the weather. he stayed for an hour or
onger and talked exceedingly well. good deal
depended on the announcement he got from MS
hostess but he had far too much of the stately
courtesy of the generation to which he belonged TO
lot it be seen in any that he was paying visit
As a mere formallty. He would not discharge a
social obligation as if it were bill of exchange.
fotin Ha ID
not care to shine and he lacked that confidence of
manner and assertveness of tone on which the rep
utations of 80 many takers 50 much depend. He
preferred an audience of one or two. II he had a
listener to his mind his conversation was often
very good. 1t was the talk which came from full
mind if anything. his mind was. for the purposes
of mere success in life too full his interests too
various bis estimate of the relative claims of con-
ficting or competing SUBJECTS not decisive enough
He did not resolve on politics till he was thirty
seven. He had been in his youth q schoar-not
using the word too strictly-knew his classics. cu-
tivated literature. not. as Sydney Smith said. on
little oatmeal, but on six thousand year (sterling
He shot, rode, did most of the things which welborn
young English country gentlemen commonly do
To the ,ast his tastes remained eclectic. His Edn
burgh address showed he had kept up his reading
and even his thinking on subjects which have
nothing to do with party politics. He came near
being inancer of nigh order. In that, as in the
more strictly political part of his career, 1T was
thought that Mr. Gladstones influence was harni-
ful to him. He never quite emancipated himself
from the private secretaryshp. and the spell which
Mr.. Gladstone knows how 70 cast on those who
once come into close contact with him remained on
Sir Stafford TO the last. His private life was far
more complete for all this miscellany of interests.
Probably his public life was less concentrated
less earnest, less successful.
l speak of Lord IddesleGh as I knew MIN late in
his life; earlier did not know him at all except as
one knows u Minister in the House of Commons
from the gallery. or parsonage one sees across a
drawing-room For some years past. and while he
still in the House of Commons. met him
pretty often. When the door opened and the SER
want announced Sir Stafford Northcote there was
always slight stir in the company group of
English men and ~omen seldom wholly insen
sill. to the approach of Cabinet Minister The
signs of interest are slight but sufficient. The
figure which entered was not very tall. not what
q soldier would call well set up. not in itself re-
markable for dignity or distinction. The large
head square in front, striking enough. and the
eyes might have been fine if you could bave got be-
hind the spectacles; but the full grayish white
beard trimmed almost to point always seemed to
phil the head down. IL dropped, and the hauds
either hung loose were clasped about his hat. If
hat lie happened to have. 50 that the air Of the
whole nan was little deprecating. He seemed
Just the least doubtful whether he should come in
or not. and as IL he had not made up his mind, or
As if the servant with his announcement had II ade
it mp for him.
That was your first impression. A second look
showed you how wrong you were. You had mis-
taken outward signs for inward uncertaintv of
Y IN there was none. What you too rashly
tho.g timidity was gentleness and refinement of
manner. The younger Epglishman-not all. but
bome-enters q room as il 1t belonged to him. OF
as il he were going to annex it and all ii contained
Not so Sir Stafford. He wss rather carelessly
dressed too, but hatever you thought of his dress
of details IN his appearance. you never were in
tho least doubt shat there stood before you Eng
lish gentleman of the best period; or of the best
which anybody now knows by personal experience
and observation. lie assumed no authority.
he seemed to care to assert that which right
fully belonged to him. Yet he was certainly not
the kind Of man with whom ether men thought
they might take liberties. He was clear accurate.
judicious not brilliant, humorous at times always
sincere. always interesting OF late. he was
depressed, even melancholy. and reused himself
with an effort One of the stanchest of friends,
said his friends. II was possible to think it had
been better for Sir Stafford had he been stanch
enemy also. He always seemed to hold 1T beneath
him engage in q personal contest
His repu tation in the House of Commons has
suffered by little fault of his 1t might be said
that the degeneration of the House could DO traced
by the decay of Sir Stafords authority. He would
not change with the times He undertook, as he
supposed, to lead House composed Of men who
were, in a measure. like himself; of men who re-
spected the traditions OF the House, and of the
class which. till lately gave the tone to its pro-
coed ngs. Certainly. he:never expected to have
to face mutny in his own ranks. Into that
unhappy business l do not now wish to 20 far.
The story of the Fourth Party, of the long guerilla
war they carried on against their nominal chief, Of
the final triumph of Lord Randolph Churchill and